Indian table tennis star Archana Kamath quits game at 24 due to lack of money

Indian table tennis star Archana Kamath has made a surprising decision to quit the game just at the age of 24. The development happened after Kamath put up a fighting performance at the recently-concluded Paris Olympics.

As per reports, Kamath quit the game as she no longer saw a future in professional table tennis. She had achieved its best-ever Olympic result by reaching the quarterfinals.

Kamath’s coach Anshul Garg said that Kamath expressed desire to pursue higher education in the United States, questioning the viability of continuing in a sport where financial rewards are minimal, and the chances of winning an Olympic medal seemed increasingly remote.

Despite the support of organizations like TOPs and Olympic Gold Quest, paddlers’ earnings are negligible unless they reach the semi-finals in domestic and international tournaments. This reality made continuing in the sport seem unfavourable of Kamath’s long-term future.

Moreover, recognising her academic strengths, Kamath decided that pursuing education abroad was a more viable long-term plan, marking a significant shift in her life.